Lorna Shively Lankford

Lorna was born on June 29, 1959 in Burlington, NC and passed away peacefully in her home on Friday, October 2nd of 2026. She was preceded in death by her mother, Helen Young Shively; her father, Harry Olin Shively; and her father-in-law, Johnny Lankford.

She is survived by her loving husband, Bryon Kurt Lankford, and step daughter Sarah Lankford. Her siblings, Steve Shively (wife Cynthia), Kenneth Shively (wife Tracy), and Donna Hauser (husband John). Her mother-in-law, Kay Lankford; her sister-in-law, Kris Evans; and several nieces and nephews.

Lorna graduated from Cummings High School and graduated in 1977 and went on to NC State University for further education. She worked for LabCorp for over 42 years, where she wore many hats in the roles she had over the years. She proudly retired from Lab Corp on July 1st of 2021.

She was devoted to her family and loved helping with coordination of family gatherings. She was meticulous and always had the small details worked out — and she never forgot anyone’s birthday, always calling to sing to us . Lorna was a long-standing member of the Burlington Shag Club as a Hall of Fame Member, where she later served as an officer. She and Kurt enjoyed the gatherings and events held by the club. She and her mother, Helen, also gave a great deal of their time volunteering several years with Hospice. She, like her parents, loved to give back and heavily believed in the things Hospice offered. Lorna had a great sense of style. Always decked out in jewelry. Her wardrobe was not complete without it. She loved printed tops and also ones of various colors, but her specific style shined through in her and Kurt’s home. She loved the shabby-chic look, displaying items and paintings with a wide variety of soft pinks and green. She loved to do crafting with jewelry and painting with her creative side.

A gathering to celebrate Lorna’s life will be held Monday, October 26th between 5pm-7pm at Lowe Funeral Home and Crematory in Burlington, NC.